Tennessee softball head coach Karen Weekly and the Lady Vols gained a 2028 commitment from in-state power-hitting utility Kenzie White. White is from Clarksville High School, where she was a TSWA All-State selection in 2026.
According to MaxPreps, White hit .632 with a 2.111 OPS, 20 home runs with 16 doubles, 11 triples, 41 RBIs and 71 runs scored last spring. In addition, White also plays for Tennessee Mojo Pardue 2027, where she had a great summer. She hit .482 with an OPS of 1.340, six home runs, 14 doubles, 40 RBIs and 40 runs scored against elite competition across the country.
White has been under coach Michael Pardue since age 11. Also, playing at the Power 4 level has always been the vision.
“She is driven, and has become one of the leaders on the team,” Pardue told me. “To me, she has one of the prettiest, most violent swings in the class. I know she’s excited for the opportunity to work with Coach Ehren.”
White expressed the excitement of working with Tennessee associate head coach Ehren Earleywine. He has one of the best minds in the game and is known for producing great hitters.
“Ehren has been keeping up with me for a few years, and I’m so thankful for the time he has put into me!” White said. “He has been very successful in improving hitters across many schools, and I can’t wait to apply his teaching to my swing!”
I asked White about being an in-state player, and the fit had little to do with that.
“Honestly, staying in-state wasn’t a priority to me,” she said. “I was willing to venture out, but when I got to Tennessee, I shortly realized why people love it here. No matter where I lived, Tennessee would always be the place for me.”
It all came back to the things that matter on a deeper scale, the things Weekly speaks about often.
“What stood out to me about Tennessee was the undeniable family culture that Karen has created over the years,” White said. Furthermore, “The people in this program are truly devoted to turning young women into successful athletes and students.
“The players and coaches are so welcoming and truly make me feel valued as a part of their program. It is a fit for me because my goal has always been to compete at the highest level while being surrounded by people who make me feel at home.”
The work is never done, and as a 2028 commit, White has a couple of years before she arrives. However, she knows the improvements needed and has a vision of not only impacting the Lady Vol program. She also wants to be an example for the youth.
“Before arriving to Knoxville, I want to get better in every way I can,” White said. “I want to get stronger, faster, and versatile so I can bring the best version of myself to Rocky Top. My vision is to embody what it truly means to be a Lady Vol while competing to the best of my abilities. Moreover, I want to leave Tennessee feeling like I used my platform to inspire little girls that they can do anything!”
